Personal electronic device (PED) cooperating with an aircraft IFE system for redeeming an in-flight coupon and associated methods

An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for use with at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger, the at least one PED comprising:

• a PED optical sensor, a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor, the PED memory and the PED wireless transceiver;
• and the aircraft IFE system comprising:
• at least one IFE video entertainment source;
• a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays;
• at least one IFE wireless transceiver that wirelessly communicates within the aircraft;
• aircraft, and
• at least one IFE controller for
• selectively displaying video from said at least one IFE entertainment source on said plurality of IFE passenger seat displays,
• generating a respective unique registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, wherein each unique registration token image has a unique identification associated therewith and to each respective IFE passenger seat display,
• communicating within the aircraft directly via said at least one IFE wireless transceiver and the PED wireless transceiver with the PED controller based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the respective unique registration token image so that said PED controller is registered with said at least one IFE controller, wherein the PED that sensed the respective unique registration token image is assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that displayed the respective unique registration token image being sensed, and
• after registration and assigning, the registered and assigned PED providing the stored in-flight coupon to said at least one IFE controller for redemption.

A personal electronic device (PED) to be carried by an aircraft passenger and for use with an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, said aircraft IFE system comprising:

• at least one IFE video entertainment source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver that wirelessly communicates within an aircraft, and at least one IFE controller for:
• selectively displaying video from the at least one IFE entertainment source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, generating a respective unique registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, and communicating within the aircraft via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver, wherein each unique registration token image has a unique identification associated therewith and to each respective IFE passenger seat display, the PED comprising:
• a PED optical sensor for sensing a respective unique registration token image displayed on an IFE passenger seat display;
• a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight;
• a PED wireless transceiver;
• and
• a PED controller coupled to said PED optical sensor, said PED memory and said PED wireless transceiver for
• communicating directly with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via said PED wireless transceiver based upon said PED optical sensor sensing the respective unique registration token image so that said PED controller is registered with the at least one IFE controller, the PED that sensed the respective unique registration token image is assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that displayed the respective unique registration token image being sensed, and
• after registration and assigning, the registered and assigned PED providing the stored in-flight coupon to the at least one IFE controller for redemption.

A method for operating an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system with at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger, the at least one PED comprising:

• a PED memory for storing an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight, a PED optical sensor, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor, and a PED wireless transceiver;
• and the aircraft IFE system comprising:
• at least one IFE video entertainment source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver that wirelessly communicates within an aircraft, and at least one IFE controller coupled to the at least one IFE video entertainment source, the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, and the at least one IFE wireless transceiver, the method comprising:
• operating the at least one IFE controller for selectively displaying video from the at least one IFE entertainment source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays;
• generating, by the at least one IFE controller, a respective unique registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display;
• communicating within the aircraft directly with the PED controller via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver and the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the respective unique registration token image so that the PED controller is registered with the at least one IFE controller, wherein each unique registration token image has a unique identification associated therewith and to each respective IFE passenger seat display, and the PED that sensed the respective registration token image is assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that displayed the respective unique registration token image;
• and
• after registration and assigning, the registered and assigned PED providing the stored in-flight coupon to the at least one IFE controller for redemption.

A method for operating a personal electronic device (PED) to be carried by an aircraft passenger and for use with an aircraft IFE system, the aircraft IFE system comprising:

• at least one IFE video entertainment source, a plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, at least one IFE wireless transceiver that wirelessly communicates within an aircraft, and at least one IFE controller for:
• selectively displaying video from the at least one IFE entertainment source on the plurality of IFE passenger seat displays, generating a respective unique registration token image on each IFE passenger seat display, and communicating within the aircraft via the at least one IFE wireless transceiver, wherein each unique registration token image has a unique identification associated therewith and to each respective IFE passenger seat display;
• and the PED comprising:
• a PED optical sensor, a PED memory, a PED wireless transceiver and a PED controller coupled to the PED optical sensor, the PED memory and the PED wireless transceiver, the method comprising:
• storing in the PED memory an in-flight coupon to be redeemed by the passenger while in-flight;
• operating the PED optical sensor for sensing a respective unique registration token image displayed on an IFE passenger seat display;
• and
• operating the PED controller for
• communicating directly with the at least one IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED optical sensor sensing the respective unique registration token image so that the PED controller is registered with the at least one IFE controller, the PED that sensed the respective unique registration token image is assigned to the IFE passenger seat display that displayed the respective unique registration token image being sensed, and
• after registration and assigning, the registered and assigned PED providing the stored in-flight coupon to the at least one IFE controller for redemption.